


A Thousand Years

by Originia



Category: Senyuu.
Genre: 'i like that i got to meet you', Gen, a thousand years, alba does his best to convince him, alba is a lovable dweeb, alba realized the impossibility of him and ross meeting, alba says some things, kinda albatross, post-vol 3, ross doesn't know how to do this 'feeling' thing, ross finds it hard to see the good, there's blushing, they talk about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 05:10:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2953547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Originia/pseuds/Originia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I used to read about you in fairy tales and stuff, you being the 'Legendary Hero' and all. You were supposed to have lived over a thousand years ago... And well, I'm just this kid who's never really done anything. We really never should have met, but we did, and, well, I'm really happy it happened."</p>
<p>Alba comes to the realization that he and Ross should never have met. </p>
<p>And he's really, <i>really</i> glad that, despite all odds, they did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Thousand Years

**Author's Note:**

> This thought struck me about five chapters into volume 4. The idea that these two losers were really never supposed to meet. Of course, I'm sure that there was some time meddling that caused Alba and Ross to actually meet up (thanks Elf) and that it wasn't just coincidence, but the point still stands that really, an entire _millennium_ was supposed to have separated these two. I, for one, am really glad that this didn't stand in the way of their friendship. And I think that Alba would think so too.

It came as a surprise to Alba when he was struck by the sudden realization that he and Ross should have never have met.

And it was in his surprise that the half-formed thought escaped through his lips in a soft murmur, words carrying across to the person walking next to him.

"We were never supposed to meet."

Ross paused in his step and glanced in his direction. "What was that?" he asked.

Alba faltered, blinking as his mind returned to the present. He gave Ross a weird kind of smile. "What was what?"

Ross raised an eyebrow. "Are you an amnesiac as well as a masochist now? You just said something two seconds ago. I think I heard the word 'never'."

"Oh, I said that out loud?" Alba replied, deciding to ignore the insults. "I was just thinking... we never should have met."

Ross frowned a bit and looked ready to cut in with a scathing remark, but Alba quickly continued. "I don't mean it in a bad way or anything, but just, if you think about it, _this_ ," he gestured vaguely between the two of them, "it never really should have happened. Our meeting and getting to know each other is practically an impossibility. I mean, you were supposed to have lived a thousand years ago, but here you are. Isn't that kind of amazing?"

Ross raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, looking the picture of disinterested. "Well now hero," he said, "that was quite a lot of thinking you managed to do for having such a small brain. But I suppose I do see your point."

Alba had the sense of mind to look offended, but still found himself fixated on his newly discovered revelation. "Really?" he questioned. "And what point is that?"

"That you must be one hell of an unlucky person to have gotten caught up in all this mess." Ross glared passively at their surroundings, no longer really looking in Alba's direction. "You'd have thought being born one thousand years in the future would be enough, but I guess not."

Alba couldn't help the small, somewhat perplexed smile that appeared at Ross' words. "I don't know about that," he replied. "I actually count myself as pretty lucky. I mean, I got to meet you, and everyone else too. Why would I have wanted to avoid that?"

Ross' expression sobered some, and his voice came out oddly flat. "You really consider meeting the person who ruined your normal, safe life as being lucky? You've almost _died_ because you were caught up in all this. You _did_ die. That's not lucky, Alba. And I really didn't peg you for _actually_ being a masochist."

Ross' words gave Alba pause, but then he smiled again. "Yeah, well, I might have had a few close calls, but then again, so have you. It's part if life, isn't it?"

"It was always going to be part of my life," Ross replied, and Alba was surprised at the resignation in Ross' voice. "I just have that kind of rotten luck. You were born in a different time. _This_ time. You and everyone else should have gotten away with your boring old trash lives. I shouldn't even be here."

Alba took half a step forwards, trying to understand Ross' insistence. "You really think that we're all worse off having met you?"

"I'm honestly surprised you haven't figured it out yourself." Ross' words were clipped and emotionless, gaze directed away from Alba. "Most people in your situation would hate my guts, and with good reason. Guess you're just slow on the uptake."

Alba stared at Ross, and he realized he was was going to have to spell out to him exactly why he considered everything to have happened since they've met to be a good thing. He almost laughed. "Look," he said, and Ross glanced his way. "Can I just try explaining something... I mean, you're probably gonna mock me for it, but..."

"I already mock you," Ross said, looking vaguely frustrated. "Constantly. And it's not like you have to ask my permission to talk. Your lack of independence continues to astound me."

"Ahah, very funny. This is actually important, okay?" Alba brushed off the reprimands with a roll of his eyes. Ross scoffed silently, but turned to face him anyways. Alba took a breath. He figured he was about to say something rather foolish, even though it was important, and he hoped Ross wouldn't laugh.

"Listen," he started earnestly. "The reason why I think this whole thousand year thing is cool and... I dunno, _good_ , is because, well, I got to meet _you_." Ross raised an eyebrow, but Alba ignored him and continued on. "I mean, you're from this whole other era, and I used to read about you in fairy tales and stuff, you being the 'Legendary Hero' and all." Alba's hands clasped together in front of his and he looked down at their entwined fingers, thinking. "You were supposed to have lived over a thousand years ago..." he paused briefly. "And well, I'm just this kid who's never really done anything. We really never should have met, but we did, and, well, I'm really happy it happened. And I really don't want you thinking that you've done anything like _ruin_ my life, because you're actually, strangely, my best friend and I have no idea what I'd be doing if I wasn't with you. I just, I want you to know that, okay? So there," Alba huffed out, looking a little flushed as his eyes glanced up to judge Ross' reaction. "That's what I think. It's not a bad thing I got to meet you. It's actually like, really good."

Ross blinked somewhat owlishly at him and remained oddly silent.

Alba stared at him, a bit flustered from his speech. In the brief silence, a few more words came tumbling out.

"I'm trying to tell you I like you, okay?" His face heated, and he gave in to the instinct to look away. "An- and that I'm really glad we met. That's all."

A kind of quiet seemed to descend upon them, and Alba quite nearly squirmed, embarrassment making him warm. He found himself unable to drag his eyes back to Ross, fearing that he still wouldn't understand, or even worse, that there would be rejection or aversion written on his face.

There was a scuffle of loose dirt as Alba heard Ross move, and then, finally, words were spoken.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?"

Alba's chest seemed to contract and his gaze flicked up to Ross' own, except that Ross was no longer looking his way. The lack of eye contact, however, did nothing to hide the fact that Ross' face was dusted a light pink and that he had his arms crosse in a defensive, almost embarrassed kind of manner. The sight had Alba blinking, an odd sort of warmth taking root in his chest. He couldn't help the smile that overtook his features, and Ross must have seen something because his eyes flicked back to Alba, expression a mixture between embarrassment and scorn.

"Why are you smiling, hero?" he said, voice not quite derisive enough to be convincing. "Does it really make you that happy to be called an idiot? Perhaps I should do it more often."

Alba laughed, he couldn't help it. "I'm just happy," he confessed. "Sorry. I am an idiot, kind of, but just... I'm happy."

Ross scoffed, but the glare he shot Alba was half-hearted at best. "Yeah, well, I guess it's not so bad, being here." Without another word, he started forwards, down the path they had been walking.

Alba grinned and followed him. He didn't think he needed to say any more, Ross clearly had gotten his point. The warm glow remained, making his steps feel light and shoulders unburdened. It was nice.

From up ahead, spoken just loud enough for Alba to hear, came two soft words.

"Thank you."

Alba blinked, but didn't reply. Instead, after a brief moment of consideration, he quickened his pace so that his strides matched Ross' own.

They walked, side by side, neither mentioning the conversation they had just had, but at the same time, feeling all the lighter for it.


End file.
